Faelan would admit he wanted to make a strong impression on Dorio. That's why, while the underground roots were pulling him back from the brink of death, he went to retrieve the disguise he used against the scavengers and made an entrance the woman would recognize without a shred of doubt.
To think Dorio was the person Galina had been trying to recommend all this time… what a small world!
He'd always wondered how Maine's crew had formed. Apparently, Dorio and Sasha had known each other from the start and worked together. Their skills had good synergy.
Similar to Pilar and Rebecca, though those two were siblings.
Maine probably came along later and somehow earned the role of leader.
Still, if it hadn't been for the backstabbing fixer he used to work with, he would've refused.
But he hadn't expected Dorio to have a breakdown the moment she showed up!
Wasn't she supposed to be nearly an adult? What poor mental fortitude…
"Don't tell me I'm that scary," he turned to confirm with Galina.
"What do you think? I heard you've got a reputation…" Galina rubbed her face—partly from seeing Dorio faint from shock, partly because it looked like she'd need to get her some clean underwear and dry pants. "Get out of here and give us girls a minute, will you?"
Faelan grumbled as he climbed the stairs, disappointed by the reaction despite all his effort. He sat on the same couch where Galina had asked for his help, and after a moment's thought, he called Kiwi on the Pip Boy.
[Hey, Kiwi. I've got a surprise for you—we've got a new recruit!]
[What are you talking about, Fae?]
Faelan quickly explained the situation and the chain of events that had resulted in "recruiting" Dorio in his own way. Because yes, he fully intended to cash in on that favor.
[I see… Actually, I'd been worried about the same thing for a while now.]
[Wait, really?]
[Yeah 🙄, like Galina said, we need some muscle for certain tasks—especially you lately. While you could handle it, I think we're all in agreement that your mystical crap shouldn't be used freely just yet.]
Kiwi had declared years ago that his traps were officially named "mystical crap."
Faelan found it funny, so he never corrected her—and even joked about it.
[Well, I won't deny I needed a pair of strong, reliable hands…]
Especially for the next round of experiments he was planning. Doing it alone was quite dangerous, to put it mildly, and Kiwi had practically run off when he offered her the assistant position after briefly explaining what it entailed.
An overreaction, no doubt. He would've accepted a simple "no."
[At least this Dorio is backed by Galina. That's much better than hiring some shady merc with questionable reliability that we'd probably have to "handle" if they didn't follow the rules.]
[What do we do with her? She's a little, uh, in shock right now.]
Today's state of Dorio would no doubt be her dark backstory!
[You said her fixer abandoned her, I'll start looking into that while she's presumed dead. I don't doubt she'll want revenge, and helping her get it could accelerate her loyalty to us. The fact that Animals and 6th Street were involved helps a lot—word must've gotten around by now… As for Dorio, let her stay with Galina for a couple of days to process things. We don't want the fixer to realize she survived yet—then they'd start digging, and that's no good for us.]
She was right. It wasn't just a risk for them now—it also endangered Galina and Sasha.
[Yeah, I guess I'll need to get her a mask with blockers like the one I usually wear if she's going to accompany me. At least until her revenge is settled. Ask Vik if he can get a few more—just don't let him get carried away with the wine bottle demands.]
[Good idea. I'll ask him once he's done with his current patient… Are you going to use her as your assistant for the next experiments?]
In Kiwi's opinion, that might be a rather brutal initiation for Dorio.
[That was the idea, but first I need to evaluate her attitude when she wakes up, sees I'm about five years younger than her, and everything else. I want to see if her pride outweighs her word—or what her character is like—and depending on that, I'll treat her accordingly. I'll keep you posted.]
Even in the show, Dorio hadn't had much screen time, aside from the part when Maine lost his mind—and even then, not much. He'd take today's reaction and combine it with what he knew to decide. It was better to tread carefully until they got to know each other better.
[Just don't go overboard if she acts tough. Ruining the friendship we've built with Sasha and Galina over her wouldn't be worth it.]
Kiwi didn't doubt Faelan could handle Dorio. She just hoped he'd hold back enough not to scare her off completely—if reinforcing his authority became necessary.
Though based on what had happened, the fear part might already be handled.
Really, a little fear might smooth the transition…
…
Half an hour later, in Galina's basement.
Since her parents' deaths, since becoming a merc, she'd roamed the streets of Night City with confidence in her skills. She'd seen things that would make the pampered kids of the megacorps puke. She knew how to avoid trouble above her level and, in a way, believed she'd forged her mind in the crucible of this city. She…
"Don't worry, your clothes will be clean and dry in two hours," Galina reassured her as she handed over a change of clothes that, judging by the size, was clearly her own.
She wanted to die of embarrassment, find a hole in the ground and vanish into it.
Or maybe just dive into the ocean and swim as deep as possible?
"So this is all real," Dorio needed to confirm the situation again as she dressed without shame. "I didn't turn into a flatline, I'm still alive—somehow. And the guy who saved me, at your request, turns out to be the living nightmare of Night City's scavengers. A nightmare I'm apparently going to have to work for from now on. Am I missing anything?"
"Put that way, it sounds bad—really bad," Galina said as she loaded Dorio's dirty clothes into a washer that didn't need coins. "You're getting too caught up in the reputation and nasty rumors he's picked up over the years. That's just his way of handling enemies. You're not an enemy—you're his, uh, surprise newly hired employee?"
Galina wasn't exactly sure what Dorio's role in Faelan's group would be, but "employee" sounded better than "life-debt subordinate." At least she was confident Dorio wouldn't be treated as disposable cannon fodder thanks to their connection.
Besides, if the pay was even a fraction of what she earned—it'd already be good pay!
"I saw people turned into mummies, probably so fast they were still in their living pose," Dorio said flatly. "And don't get me started on the plants growing from their upright corpses, or the roots that sucked me underground just to spit me out in your basement."
Seriously, was he some sort of expert in botanical biotech?
"I told you, open mind. Doubt that'll be the weirdest thing you see if you stick around," Galina approached to check the fit after Dorio finished dressing. "Hmm… Did you swap more of your natural muscle for reinforced synthetics? I could've sworn these clothes fit you perfectly last time I saw you."
And with Dorio's lifestyle, she definitely hadn't gained weight in the normal sense.
"I had to make some upgrades to keep up with the demand," Dorio rolled her shoulder. The clothes were a bit snug, but still stretchy and comfortable. "I was saving up for a subdermal implant, but I guess that'll have to wait a while… Oh!" She suddenly looked around.
"Looking for this?" Galina held up a duffel bag covered in dirt and a few scratches—clearly full.
Dorio hurried over and checked inside.
She sighed in relief.
Good, the expensive implants were still there, and none of the seals were broken.
"Let me advise you not to use any of that," Galina said, seeming to recognize the contents and type. "Too many implants from different corps, and it looks like you're still fresh from the last update. Was the ripperdoc reliable?"
"It was Vanesa's recommendation," Dorio muttered, jaw tight at the memory of that traitor.
"Alright, once you finish talking to Faelan, go see Vik for a full checkup," Galina motioned her to follow upstairs. "He's one of the best around here—and once he knows you work for Faelan and company, he might even give you a discount."
"The ghost of the scavengers is named Faelan?" Dorio followed her, intrigued by the revelation.
"Yup. Also, I hope you don't mind that he's a little younger than you," Galina added with a sidelong glance. "I promise you he's pretty smart."
"With the kind of reputation he's earned?" Dorio shook her head in disbelief. "Even if you told me he was twelve, what would it matter?"
Galina bit her lower lip as they climbed the stairs, trying not to burst into laughter.
Oh, Dorio had no idea how close that casual remark had come to the truth.
"Hey, got any tips for dealing with him?" asked the muscular woman, not wanting to start off on the wrong foot with her new boss.
As for whether she was going to stick with this mysterious crew, she'd decide after a few days to see how things played out. Right now, she was still trying to process the whole situation—and if the guy turned out to be a jerk, she had no idea how she'd react.
"Advice? Mmm, let's see..." Galina took a moment to think. "He can be a bit exasperating, but he's a pretty decent guy. If I were you, I'd avoid snooping around about his hood and goggles. Not even my daughter or I have seen him without them—it seems to be a very sensitive topic... or maybe a deeply rooted paranoia."
Dorio listened closely, taking mental notes.
"If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask him. He's pretty open about what he does—just ask the right question at the right time," Galina continued. "Remember what I said about keeping an open mind? Apply that every time you deal with him. Otherwise, you'll end up driving yourself crazy trying to understand him. Other than that, you just need to keep quiet about the unusual things you might see."
"Unusual things?" Dorio raised an eyebrow.
That word didn't exactly have a broad range of uses in this city.
"Oh, believe me, you'll know what I mean in time." Galina's tone held a subtle weariness, as if she herself had already given up on trying to understand some things.
"Alright," Dorio scratched the back of her neck—so far, things weren't as bad as she'd expected. "Any idea what kind of job I'll be doing?"
"Truth is, no." Galina shrugged. "Technically, Faelan is my boss too, but the business I run for him is probably just one facet of what he's really doing. I can only assume you'll help me once a week with product deliveries—they're quite expensive, after all."
At least, that was her suspicion after all these years.
She doubted that Faelan and Kiwi, with what they seemed capable of and their ambition, would settle for just selling organic ingredients.
There had to be more going on that she didn't know, but over time, those two kids had earned a share of her trust, and she hadn't pried… too much.
Wait, now that she thought about it—had she and Dorio just become coworkers?
"Oh?" Dorio perked up—now they were speaking her language. "What kind of 'expensive products' are we talking about?"
Weapons? Meds? Info chips? High-value genetic samples?
Only now did Galina realize she should've brought this up earlier—when they were downstairs, she could've opened one of the basement boxes to show Dorio the vegetables and bottles of wine.
Hmm, Dorio's first task would probably be loading today's boxes and helping her with deliveries, to get familiar with the route, locations, and clients.
"Organic food," she didn't leave Dorio in suspense too long. "I'm not talking about synthetics or substitutes—I mean natural, real food. Do you have any idea how expensive that is?"
"Just food?" Dorio pulled the face of a kicked puppy out of nowhere, utterly baffled.
Yeah, she clearly had no idea what kind of numbers they were dealing with here.
Wow… Galina had never noticed how long the basement stairs were until now.